DEVELOPING NATURAL & ORGANIC COSMETICS Challenges and Opportunities Dr Barbara Olioso, Organatural In Cosmetics Asia 2011 @drbarbaraolioso, #incosasia11
how do chemists and producers, like myself, deliver natural cosmetics in a way that works for the consumers, the environment and for the manufacturers?
AGENDA Strengths of Naturals Weaknesses of Naturals Threats Opportunities Strategies
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Nature is powerful and far more intelligent than humans
Aspirin - Willow Bark Tree Taxol - Pacific Yew Tree Azadirachtin - Neem Tree
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS More treasures waiting in the Forests More natural botanicals to discover Forest is like the top chemistry lab Forests are precious
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Natural essences are sophisticated Synthetic fragrances try to imitate nature Natural fragrances are a must to achieve fresh notes Eau de Colognes would not exist without naturals
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Your body is natural not synthetic Naturals suit our body
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Thousands of years of unofficial toxicological in vivo testing on humans and selection of naturals Long history of use - Chinese Herbal Medicine (2700 BC), Ayurvedic Medicine (1900 BC), Western Phytotherapy (Hippocrates, Galenus).
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Most naturals biodegrade easily once in the environment Naturals suit the environment too
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
STRENGTHS OF NATURALS Consumers want Naturals
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Naturals are more expensive Higher production costs and limited availability
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Price fluctuation Example jojoba oil, sandalwood oil and beeswax Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Unpredictable nature Batch to batch variation (specs and organoleptic proerties mat vary) Crop yealds vary Plants require specific conditions for growth Some plants take years before they give a crop (for example jojoba tree takes 8 years to give a crop)
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Biodegradable nature of ingredients Sensitive to light, air and heat
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Naturals and environmental damage Over exploitation of naturals without thinking long term effects can cause environmental damage More raw materials coming to market with palm oil free claim and fair trade ingredients
WEAKNESSES OF NATURALS Natural is not cheap!
THREATS Green wash of fake natural products High percentage of cheap synthetics (EDTA, Propylene Glycol, formaldehyde releasers, etc.) blended with naturals Misleading marketing claims Unfair competition No official stringent definition of what natural is
THREATS Different private standards Europe is flooded with Organic certification bodies. At least 2 or 3 per country How can one certification work for International export?
THREATS Consumers are confused and vulnerable Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
THREATS Regulatory challenges for naturals Genuine Natural cosmetics tend to be produced by smaller producers Costs and criteria to assess their safety is not designed for them
THREATS Case Study Pesto versus Parabens dilemma
THREATS I love pesto! Image: piyato / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
BREAST CANCER CELLS incubated with 0.00019% Butylparaben, allowed at 0.19% Time 0 (by courtesy of Dr P Darbre)
THREATS Controversial Parabens safety Clarification on Opinion SCCS 1348/10 states rat model is of limited value when predicting the toxicokinetics of parabens in humans and relevant human data regarding the metabolism of parabens is missing so far
THREATS Controversial Parabens safety Absence of evidence is not evidence of the absence of the bad effect Methyleugenol has to prove to be safe, whereas parabens need to be proven to be unsafe
THREATS Uneven play field Parabens are still allowed (0.19-0.4%) Methyleugenol restricted at 0.0002% in leave on applications versus 0.004% in eau de toilette
OPPORTUNITIES New ways Educate the consumers Sustainable approach Authentic relationships
OPPORTUNITIES Create market opportunity Educating and informing the consumer Internet and the democratisation of information leading to fragmented market Relationships via the web Consumers can be great source of ideas and information
OPPORTUNITIES Be original Try to lead the market with new trends
STRATEGIES - BRANDS Adopt new roles Educator Campaign to protect wild habitat and the use of naturals
STRATEGIES - BRANDS Position yourself on quality Invest more in the product content Check supply of raw materials Use specialist formulators
STRATEGIES - BRANDS Be wary of certification It has to be recognised by your market Cost Do they campaign? IP
OPPORTUNITIES New markets Asian markets
THREATS Ethical and legal dilemma Animal testing to register products in the PRC where validated alternatives exist
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS The future is natural, constant growth
CONCLUSIONS The future is natural, constant growth Natural is hard work and it involves a sensible approach to natural resources
CONCLUSIONS The future is natural, constant growth Natural is hard work and it involves a sensible approach to natural resources Great opportunities
LINKS AND THANKS
LINKS AND THANKS in-cosmeticsasia.com and Reed Exhibitions
LINKS AND THANKS in-cosmeticsasia.com and Reed Exhibitions Tony Burfield at www.cropwatch.org
LINKS AND THANKS in-cosmeticsasia.com and Reed Exhibitions Tony Burfield at www.cropwatch.org barbara@organatural.co.uk
LINKS AND THANKS in-cosmeticsasia.com and Reed Exhibitions Tony Burfield at www.cropwatch.org barbara@organatural.co.uk ForestSecretsSkincare.com
Merry Christmas
Thank you for listening